Loading device for revolvers



Oct. 26, 1965 D. MATlCH 3,213,559

LOADING DEVICE FOR REVOLVERS Filed April 27, 1964 INVENTOR.

United States Patent 3,213,559 LQADlNG DEVICE FQR REVOLVERS Donald Matich, 6148 Monterey Road, Los Angeles, Calif. Filed Apr. 27, 1964, Ser. No. 362,736 4 flaims. (Cl. 42-39) This invention relates to apparatus for simultaneously loading all the chambers in a revolver cylinder with cartridges.

This invention provides a simple and inexpensive belt which can be rolled up to form recesses which hold cartridges that fit into the chambers of a revolver cylinder.

Earlier devices have been designed for this purpose, but they have either been too complex for economical manufacture and simple use, or they have involved individual parts which are easily lost or misplaced.

This invention overcomes the disadvantages of the previous devices by providing a simple, one-piece belt which can be economically manufactured, and which does not require any loose parts to insure positive retention of the cartidges within the belt prior to loading into a revolver.

Briefly, the invention includes an elongated flexible belt with a plurality of longitudinally spaced transverse divider walls extending from one side of the belt. The intermediate portion of each divider wall is concave on opposite faces to form at the end of each wall farthest from the belt a respective rib of greater thickness than the intermediate portion of each wall. Means are provided for releasably securing the belt in a rolled-up position, so the ribs at the free end of each wall are held closely together, and recesses are formed by the adjacent divider walls for holding cartridges in an arrangement to fit into the revolver cylinder.

Preferably, the belt is made of plastic so that the belt, divider walls, and ribs may be extruded in one piece for more economical manufacture. The dimensions of the Walls and ribs, and the spacing between adjacent walls, are such that when the belt is rolled up with the adjacent ribs touching at the center, the space between adjacent walls form circular recesses which hold the cartridges that are to be loaded into the revolver. The ribs are hollow to facilitate their deformation and squeezing between adjacent cartridges as the belt is unrolled. The width of the belt is a substantial part of the length of the cartridges to keep them properly aligned, but is less than the length of the cartridges so they project beyond one edge of the belt. Moreover, the recesses formed between adjacent walls of the belt are of substantially the same size and arranged in the same configuration as the chambers in the revolver cylinder, so that the nose of each cartridge projects from one end of the rolledup belt and fit into the chambers of the revolver. The cartridges are released from the belt by releasing the holding means on the belt, and pulling the belt and walls away from the cartridges so they are free to drop into the cylinder.

These and other aspects of the invention will be more fully understood from the following detailed description and the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the belt in a stretchedout positon;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the belt rolled up to form recesses to receive the cartridges;

FIG. 2A is a perspective View of the hook and eye; and

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the belt being unwound to load cartridges into a revolver cylinder.

Referring to FIG. 1, an elongated belt of suitable flexible material, such as rubber or plastic, has formed 3,213,559 Patented Oct. 26, 1965 integrally on one face 11 six longitudinally spaced and tralnsverse divider walls 12 which extend away from the be t.

The intermediate portion 14 of the opposite face of each wall is concave so that a separate respective elongated and transverse rib 15 is formed at the outer or free end of each wall. The length of each rib is substantially equal to the width of the belt, which preferably is between one-fourth and three-fourths the length of the cartridges to be held by the belt. A separate elongated hole 15 is formed entirely through each rib so that each rib can be compressed when it is pulled from between adjacent cartridges 18 (FIG. 3) as described in detail below.

A hook 249 is secured adjacent one end of the belt to leave a tab 21 free for unhooking the belt as described below. Preferably, both surfaces of the belt which form the tab have transverse corrugations 22 to facilitate gripping of the tab between the thumb and forefinger. An eye or loop 24 is secured to the outside face of the belt, that is, the face opposite from that on which the divider walls are formed. The hook is located on the same face of the belt as the walls, so that when the belt is rolled into the position shown in FIG. 2, the book may be slipped into the eye and hold the belt in the rolled-up position.

As shown best in FIG. 3, when the belt is rolled up, adjacent ribs fit against each other and form, in effect, a firrn core in the center of the rolled-up belt. Circular recesses 26 are formed between adjacent divider walls and extend entirely through the rolled-up belt. With the belt hooked together in the rolled-up position, cartridges 18 are inserted into the recesses 26, which are located to have the same spacing as chambers 28 in a revolver cylinder 30 (FIG. 3). Preferably, the recesses are slightly smaller in diameter than the cartridges so the cartridges are held firmly in place.

With the cartridges inserted in the rolled-up belt, the abutting ribs at the center of the cartridges prevent the belt from being sufliciently deformed or distorted to permit the cartridges to slide from the belt, which is somewhat elastic to permit the end of the belts with the hook to be stretched slightly and fit the hook tightly into the eye and hold the belt in the rolled-up position.

When the cartridges are to be loaded into a revolver (not shown), the noses of the cartridges extending down from the belt are fitted into the chambers of the cylinder. The revolver is held in one hand, and the tab of the belt is grasped between the thumb and forefinger of the other hand and pulled to stretch the belt and release the hook from the eye. As soon as this occurs, the belt unwinds, and the cylinder turns as the belt is pulled away from it. Each cartridge drops into its respective chamber as it is released by the unrolling of the belt. Moreover, each rib is easily squeezed or deformed to permit it to slide between adjacent cartridges because of the hole extending entirely through each rib.

As soon as the last cartridge drops into its respective chamber, the belt is free of the revolver and the cylinder can be closed into operating position. The belt can be then rerolled, rehooked, and reloaded for further use.

The advantage of the belt of this invention is that there are no loose or separate parts which can fall or become lost during the loading operation, and the belt is easily extruded to facilitate economical manufacture.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for loading cartridges into the cylinder of a revolver, the apparatus including an elongated flexible beltfa plurality of longitudinally spaced transverse divider walls extending from one side of the belt, the intermediate portion of each Wall being concave on opposite faces to format the end of each wall farthest from the belt a respective rib of greater thickness than the intermediate portion of each Wall, and means for releasably securing the belt in a rolled-up position so adjacent ribs are held abutting each other and recesses are formed between adjacent divider walls for holding cartridges in an arrangement to fit into the revolver cylinder, the belt, walls, and abutting adjacent ribs combining to extend around substantially the entire circumference of each cartridge to secure each cartridge along a substantial portion of its length within its respective recess.

2. Apparatus for loading cartridges into the cylinder of a revolver, the apparatus including an elongated flexible belt, a plurality of longitudinally spaced transverse divider walls extending from one side of the belt, the

posite faces to form at the end of each wall farthest from the belt a respective rib of greater thickness than the intermediate portion of each wall, each rib being .hollow so the rib can be deformed under pressure, and means for releasably securing the belt in a rolled-up position so the adjacent ribs are held closely together and recesses are formed between adjacent divider walls for holding cartridges in an arrangement to fit into the revolver cylinder, the belt, walls, and abutting adjacent ribs combining to extend around substantially the entire circumference of each cartridge to secure each cartridge along a substantial portion of its length within its respective recess.

3. Apparatus for loading cartridges into the cylinder of a revolver, the apparatus including an elongated flexible belt, a plurality of longitudinally spaced transverse divider walls extending from one side of the belt, the intermediate portion of each wall being concave on opposite faces to -form at the end of each wall farthest from the belt a respective rib of greater thickness than the intermediate portion of each wall, each rib having a hole through it so the rib can be deformed under pressure, and means for releasably securing the belt in a intermediate portion of each wall being concave on opv rolled-up position so the adjacent ribs are held closely together and recesses are formed between adjacent divider walls for holding cartridges in an arrangement to fit into the revolver cylinder, the belt, walls, and abutting adjacent ribs combining to extend around substantially the entire circumference of each cartridge to secure each cartridge along a substantial portion of its length Within its respective recess.

4. Apparatus for loading cartridges into the cylinder of a revolver, the apparatus including an elongated plastic flexible belt, the width of the belt being at least onefourth the length of the cartridges, a plurality of longitudinally spaced transverse divider walls extending from one side of the belt, the intermediate portion of each wall being concave on opposite faces to form at the end of each wall farthest from the belt a respective rib of greater thickness than the intermediate portion of each wall, a hook secured to the belt adjacent one end, and a loop secured to the belt adjacent the other end of the belt to receive the hook and releasably secure the belt in a rolled-.up position so the adjacent ribs are held closely together and recesses are fonmed between adjacent divider walls for holding cartridges in an arrangement to fit into the revolver cylinder, the belt, walls, and abutting adjacent ribs combining to extend around substantially the entire circumference of each cartridge to secure each cartridge along a substantial portion of its length within its respective recess.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,231,106 6/17 Wesson 4289 1,891,437 12/ 32 Milmore 4289 2,592,415 4/52 Grogan 4289 2,620,584 12/52 Edmands 4289 2,637,930 5/53 Mason 4289 2,896,353 7/59 Hunt 4289 BENJAMIN A. BORCHELT, Primary Examiner. 

1. APPARATUS FOR LOADING CARTRIDGES INTO THE CYLINDER OF A REVOLVER, THE APPARATUS INCLUDING AN ELOPNGATED FLEXIBLE BELT, A PLURALITY OF LONGITUDINALLY SPACED TRANSVERSE DIVIDER WALLS EXTENDING FROM ONE SIDE OF THE BELT, THE INTERMEDIATE PORTION OF EACH WALL BEING CONCAVE ON OPPOSITE FACES TO FORM AT THE END OF EACH WALL FARTHEST FROM THE BELT A RESPECTIVE RIB OF GREATER THICKNESS THAN THE INTERMEDIATE PORTION OF EACH WALL, AND MEANS FOR RELEASABLY SECURING THE BELT IN A ROLLED-UP POSITION SO ADJACENT RIBS ARE HELD ABUTTING EACH OTHER AND RECESSES ARE FORMED BETWEEN ADJACENT DIVIDER WALLS FOR HOLDING CARTRIDGES IN AN ARRANGEMENT TO FIT INTO THE REVOLVER CYLINDER, THE BELT, WALLS, AND ABUTTING ADJACENT RIBS COMBINING TO EXTEND AROUND SUBSTANTIALLY THE ENTIRE CIRCUMFERENCE OF EACH CARTRIDGE TO SECURE EACH CARTRIDGE ALONG A SUBSTANTIAL PORTION OF ITS LENGTH WITHIN ITS RESPECTIVE RECESS. 